Tag: Movies

Movie reviews

Two Movie Reviews

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Michael Clayton (2007)

This thriller is a vehicle for George Clooney, though it has terrific performances from Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Wilkinson.  The boy who plays Henry, Michael’s young son, does a fine job as well.  Unlike many child actors, he is natural, likeable, and believable.   Clooney almost disappears into the role of a self-loathing and disappointed lawyer, Michael Collins.  But Michael is not your typical lawyer- he’s labled a “fixer.”  To put it bluntly, he’s helped a lot of wealthy clients cover up misdeeds.  (I’m not going to give away many details.) 

  

When a close friend, litigator Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), becomes unhinged during a deposition in Milwaukee, the firm sends in Michael.  (Arthur was defending UNorth, a huge corporation embroiled in a class-action lawsuit, for the firm of Kenner, Bach, and Odeen.)  But Arthur (the heart of this movie) will not be controlled- he’s had an epiphany and wants to do the right thing.  He refuses to be “an accomplice” in a cover-up. 

Sydney Pollack (in his last role) is pitch-perfect as one of the founding partners of the firm, Marty Bach.  Is he a villain, or just trying to represent his client?  You will have to decide.

            

The villain in this film is Oscar winner Tilda Swinton, who takes on the role of Karen Crowder, the top attorney for UNorth.  She is the opposite of Michael Collins-  she stands up very straight and doesn’t doubt/regret her decisions.  Karen will go to extremes to protect UNorth and her boss/mentor.  Her suits are likened to “armor” by director Tony Gilroy. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465538/

 

The Full Monty (1997)

I think this comedy is a fitting one for our tough economic times.  The Full Monty is a hilarious, touching, and well-acted British film (that I wanted to see for a long time)!  It centers on a group of unemployed steel workers in Sheffield, an industrial city in Northern England.  (It may take some time to get accustomed to their accents and slang.  You can turn on subtitles, if needed.) 

The main character, nicknamed Gaz (Robert Carlyle), has lost his job, wife, and is about to lose custody of his adolescent son, Nathan.  Gaz can’t cover the child support, so he hatches a drastic plan to earn some fast money.  If the foreign male dancers/strippers (Chippendales) can make big bucks off the Sheffield ladies, then why can’t local blokes?  Nathan isn’t sure this will work, but he goes along to help his dad.

Gaz is (reluctantly) joined by his best mate Dave (Mark Addy), an overweight, self-conscious, yet sweet man who feels unworthy of his wife.  Eventually, Gaz and Mark find a few more down-on-their-luck men to join their endeavor.  The guys pester their former supervisor Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) to teach them to dance.  At first, the upwardly-mobile Gerald doesn’t want to help the men.  But he relents when he sees their desperation.  (And he’s jobless, too.)     

Along the way, this misfit bunch have to overcome clumsiness, improve body-image, and summon up loads of courage.  From their eyes and expressions, we see that they are not doing this “as a lark” (for fun), but for survival.  They rent out a local pub for a one-night performance.  Will the ladies buy tickets to see ordinary guys?  Will the guys be able to go “the full monty?”   

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119164/

 

Did you know? (some trivia)

EmmaLeave a comment

Denzel Washington turned down the title role in Michael Clayton, as did George Clooney at first.

Both George Clooney and Michael Clayton co-star Michael O’Keefe played love interests of Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) on Roseanne.

Jay-Z grew up in the Marcy projects in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.  The J, M, & Z subway lines run through this area.  Jay-Z took his name from  the J & Z lines.

Mark Ruffalo is a 2nd generation Italian-American.  All of his family are hairstylists: mother, brother, & 2 sisters.

Mark was a wrestler at his Virginia Beach high school; he loved it though he was only average as a student.

A tarot card reader said that he’d go to LA to study at The Stella Adler Academy b/c he wanted to be an actor.  Mark ended up studying there for 7 yrs.

Stella Adler used to say that the great playwrights are giving you the big ideas, and it is your job to lift up those ideas.  When you see actors that are on fire, it’s because they’re lifted up into a bigger idea.

 

Mickey Rourke began training as an amateur boxer at age 12; he did it to escape his troubled home life (violent stepfather).  He also sold candy on the street, dug ditches for the Miami-Dade county power company, and was even involved in drug dealing for a time.

Mickey, who was inspired by Marlon Brando, is a member of The Actors Studio.  He auditioned just once and was accepted, unlike many other actors. 

Drugs and alcohol were never his problem, “it was my short fuse… and the fact that I didn’t want to be accountable.”

Director Darren Aronofsky allowed Rourke to write most of his own lines for The Wrestler.  He trained w/ The Rock’s uncle in order to do the stunts.

Wow, it’s already 2010!!!

EmmaLeave a comment

Dear readers,

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a GREAT holiday season w/ family/friends!  My mom and little brother came from Indy to visit us in DC.  They got to see the house Dad just closed on in Silver Spring, MD.  Hopefully, Mom can find a job and move here in the next few months.  We ate (a LOT), watched movies, and hung out w/ a few relatives and family friends.  One of my dad’s younger cousins and her hubby had a baby girl; they live just 45 mins. away in MD.  It’s good to be in touch w/ family.

One of my aunties (a younger cousin of Mom) and 2 of her kids (18 and 24) came to visit NYC & DC from Sweden.  This aunt has met the king of Sweden, works in finance, and assists immigrant women in getting acculturated in their new county.  VERY cool, right?   Her son and daughter are very sweet, laid-back, and smart (fluent in 3 languages: Swedish, Bengali, and English). 

For my b-day, we went to Sam Phai, a Thai restaurant (1019 King St, Old Town Alexandria) with fresh/delicious food.  If you happen to be nearby, check it out!    

Thanks for visiting my corner of the web,

EMMA. 

 

Movies/TV Shows Seen Recently:

State of the Union (1948)

In my opinion, Hepburn+Tracy=Movie Magic!  This film, directed by Frank Capra, is refreshingly modern (with its themes), fast-paced, and funny.  It also stars a very young Angela Lansbury; she plays a tough/single DC powerbroker.  Lansbury’s character, Kay Thorndyke, is in love with Grant Matthews (Spencer Tracy), a self-made Midwestern businessman who she encourages to run for president.  But Matthews already has 2 young kids and is married to a very strong woman, Mary (Katherine Hepburn).  Though the Matthews have a close relationship, their marriage is put under pressure during the campaign.  Mary has to keep an eye on the scheming Kay, a former senator’s daughter who projects her ambitions onto Grant.  Mary also worries that Grant’s plans and high moral principles will get squashed by the new political experts around him.       

Mary Matthews: Another thing – he used to hate to hear me swear. Whenever I’d let with something, he’d smack me on my sitter, hard. I’ve done a lot of swearing on this trip.
Jim Conover: And no smacks?
Mary Matthews: It’s a small request, but I’d give anything for a good smack on my south end.

  

Adam’s Rib (1949)

Amanda: What I said was true, there’s no difference between the sexes. Men, women, the same.
Adam: They are?
Amanda: Well, maybe there is a difference, but it’s a little difference.
Adam: Well, you know as the French say…
Amanda: What do they say?
Adam: Vive la difference!
Amanda: Which means?
Adam: Which means hurrah for that little difference.

This is another Hepburn/Tracy film; it’s about married lawyers in Manhattan who end up supporting opposite sides.  Adam Bonner (Tracy) is an ADA assigned to the case of a philadering hubby who was shot by his wife.  Adam’s wife, a defense attorney named Amanda, jumps in to defend the accused wife.  Their loving relationship is put to the test during the much-publicized trial.  

 

Slings & Arrows (2003-2006)

To be, or not to be, — that is the question
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?

-Hamlet (Act III, Scene i)

The theater is NOT dead, as this intelligent/quirky Canadian TV series proves.  It stars Paul Gross, the handsome star of  ’90s TV series, Due South, created by Paul Haggis.  (Due South was the first Canadian show to cross-over to the US and achieve primetime success.)  Slings & Arrows, a combo of comedy and drama, puts the spotlight on theater folk- onstage and off.  The ensemble cast includes well-established Canadian stars (Gross/Colm Feore/Geraint Wyn Davies), rising youngsters (Rachel McAdams/Sarah Polley), and comedians (like Mark McKinney of The Kids in the Hall).   

 

Can artists and businesspeople compromise to keep a struggling theater festival alive?  Can relationships (between friends, couples, and co-workers) withstand the pressures of putting on Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear?  Watch this terrific show (3 seasons/3 DVDs) to find out.  (You CANNOT see something like this on US TV!)   

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387779/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slings_and_Arrows

 

Some Recent Music Downloads:

Chris Young (I’m in LOVE with his wonderful voice!)  

You know this old world is full of singers
But just a few are chosen
To tear your heart out when they sing
Imagine life without them
All your radio heros
Like the outlaw that walks through Jesse’s dream

No, there will never be another
Red-headed stranger
A Man in Black and Folsom Prison Blues
The Okie from Muskogee
Or Hello Darling
Lord I wonder, who’s gonna fill their shoes

–Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes (sung by George Jones)

Warm, rich, and pure are some fitting words to describe Chris Young’s voice.  Or you could just stick with GORGEOUS!  His lyrics are touching and simple, but with a modern sensibility.  This young singer (just 24!) is proof that reality TV isn’t ALL bad: he won Nashville Star back in ’06.  Chris has been a working singer/songwriter since his teens.  He lists Keith Whitley and Randy Travis as his main influences.  In the flock of rising country singers, Chris soars above the crowd!

Drinkin’ Me Lonely: This is my fave so far- a sensitive song w/ great lyrics!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMbs-NAdREM

Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song): A BIG hit on country radio now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWP7ZtVLPd4&feature=channel

Rainy Night in Georgia: A new version of a classic song.

The Man I Want to Be: A simple song re: forgiveness in the true country tradition  

 

http://www.chrisyoungcountry.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisYoung

 

“Onegin” (1999)

EmmaLeave a comment

I bought this DVD because I heard Toby Stephens played a good role in it; I had never seen it before last week.  This film is very smart, subtle, touching, and thought-provoking.  It is based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin.  It was directed by Martha Fiennes (Ralph’s sister) and has some creative/unusual shots.  The cinematography is simple gorgeous, as are the locations, sets and costumes (which make the actors stand up straighter and creates elegant lines).

Eugene Onegin (Fiennes) is a wealthy playboy from St. Petersburg, Russia.  He is bored with his urban life: costly mistress, social obligations, and frivolous friends.  Onegin inherits a huge country estate after his elderly uncle dies, and he ventures out of the city to have a look at the place.

Onegin, the brooding/pessimistic aristocrat, makes friends with Lensky (Toby Stephens), an optimistic/energetic/naive country gent with dreams of becoming a poet.  Though the men are polar opposites, they are both well-educated and neighbors.  Lensky has long been in love with Olga (Lena Headey), a conventional girl who dreams of city life.  But Olga’s younger sister Tatyana (Liv Tyler) is the girl who intrigues Onegin.

It is soon obvious that the impressionable Tatyana has fallen in love with Onegin, or in love with who she thinks he is.  She borrows books from his library, and expresses modern opinions (much to the changrin of her widowed mother).  One night, Tatyana pores out her heart in a letter to Onegin, unable to keep her feelings boxed up (as social convention dictates).  How will the seemingly cool-headed Onegin react?  Can he return her feelings?  Watch to find out!

Ralph Fiennes, an internal actor, quickly disappears into his role of the dissatisfied Onegin.  Toby Stephens provides a refreshing counterbalance to Onegin.  Liv Tyler gives a terrific performance, proving that some actors don’t need to study for years to create fine characters.  They just have the “it” factor!

A clip from Onegin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvr-iemGsyE

More about the movie:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119079/

About the book Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Onegin

“The Visitor” (2007)

Emma4 Comments

TheVisitor_cover

This is a must-see indie film about NYC, immigrants, and (above all) the importance of connection.  It’s a small budget film that packs a big emotional punch!  His role as Walter Vale, a lonely/ widowed academic, earned veteran character actor Richard Jenkins a Best Actor Oscar nomination at age 62. 

TheVisitor_TM

The Visitor was written/directed by another character actor, Tom McCarthy. 

TheVisitor_practice

Walter (Richard Jenkins) travels from his suburban home in Connecticut to his NYC apartment to attend a seminar (about global development issues) at NYU.  The mild-mannered professor is shocked to discover that his apartment is already occupied by a young couple in their 20s- a Syrian drummer, Tarek Khalil (Haaz Sleiman), and his Senegalese girlfriend, Zainab (Danai Gurira), who makes/sells jewelry.  These young people(both Muslim, BTW) are very embarrassed by the situation, but they have nowhere else to go.  Walter gives them permission to stay for as long as they need.  He is intrigued by Tarek and Zainab, two people a guy like him doesn’t meet every day.

TheVisitor_drumcircle

Walter is also intrigued by the drum that Tarek, a joyous/big-hearted guy, plays in Central Park and little clubs around the city.  Tarek encourages the hesitant Walter (a classical music fan) to try the drum as well.  Soon, they are good friends, much to the chagrin of Zainab.  She often has a serious expression on her face, and we sense that she is nervous about something.  On the street, Zainab is wary of police.  One night, she admits to Walter that she and Tarek overstayed their visas (so are now of illegal status). 

TheVisitor_detention

One day, while getting on the subway, Tarek is stopped by two plainclothes NYPD officers.  “He did nothing wrong!” Walter exclaims with bewilderment.  Walter can’t believe his eyes when his new friend is quickly taken into police custody, and then to a detention center in Long Island City, Queens.  (Well, he is a Muslim man living in the U.S. post-9/11.)  Even more shocking is the fact that over 300 people are in that center, including children! 

TheVisitor_ladies

Walter consoles Zainab by explaining that he’s arranged for an immigration attorney to handle Tarek’s case.  “He can’t stay in that place!” Zainab exclaims, feeling that being in such an environment will crush Tarek’s spirit.  Zainab can’t bring herself to visit the detention center, but Walter goes each day to check on Tarek.  Zainab is grateful for Walter’s help, yet deeply saddened by the turn of events.  Zainab leaves Walter’s apartment to stay with a cousin.

TheVisitor_PotO

Tarek’s mother, Mouna (Hiam Abbas), arrives from Michigan when she doesn’t hear news from her son.  She’s surprised to learn that Tarek shared a place with Walter.  Sensing Mouna’s sadness and worry, he  insists that she stay in the apartment, too.  “You can use Tarek’s room,” Walter says.  He tries to make her feel comfortable during a very difficult time.  They share a strong connection as well, though it doesn’t turn romantic.    

Will Walter’s kindly efforts help Tarek stay in the US?  How will Zainab, Mouna, and Walter come to terms with the final decision?  Watch the film to find out! 

Movie Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlFcmm1pq9g

More details:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0857191/